Richard.
But the voice was followed by another.
Calm.
Cold.
Almost amused.
Samuel Voss.
“Now,” Voss said, “we finally talk about what your father knew.”
Marcus froze.
His father's name.
The one thing Marcus had never connected to the conspiracy.
The one piece of the past he had never investigated.
Suddenly, everything changed.
Because whatever Voss knew about Marcus's father was important enough to keep hidden for more than twenty years.
And Marcus realized the truth he had been searching for might have begun long before he was ever born.
Chapter 13
Marcus stood in the darkness, listening to the rain strike the windows.
The gunshot had left the room in silence.
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Then the emergency lights flickered back on.
Richard stood in the hallway.
His suit was torn.
There was blood on his sleeve.
Marcus stared at him.
“You're alive.”
Richard gave a tired smile.
“Barely.”
Marcus looked behind him.
“Where is Voss?”
Richard didn't answer.
That was enough.
Marcus immediately understood.
“He's still here.”
Richard nodded.
“He never left.”
A second later, the door behind Marcus opened.
Samuel Voss stepped into the room.
Two men stood behind him.
Voss looked calm.
Almost bored.
Marcus felt something inside him settle.
The fear was gone.
All that remained was anger.
“You mentioned my father.”
Voss smiled.
“I knew that would get your attention.”
Marcus stepped forward.
“What did he know?”
“More than you were ever told.”
“Tell me.”
Voss glanced at Helen.
“Your father discovered the network before anyone else.”
Marcus froze.
“My father?”
“Yes.”
“He was an elevator mechanic.”
“He was also exceptionally observant.”
Marcus remembered his father's notebooks.
The strange diagrams he had kept in an old metal box.
As a child, Marcus had assumed they were work notes.
Voss continued.
“He noticed unusual patterns in government buildings. Repeated failures. Maintenance orders that didn't make sense. Equipment being replaced even when it worked perfectly.”
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
“He found the infrastructure network.”
“Yes.”
“What did he do?”
“He investigated.”
“And you stopped him.”
Voss smiled.
“Your father wasn't stopped.”
Marcus stared.
“He was recruited.”
“No.”
“He refused.”
Voss shrugged.
“That was his mistake.”
Marcus's voice became quiet.
“What happened to him?”
Voss didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he walked toward the table.
“Your father discovered that certain infrastructure failures were being engineered.”
Marcus felt his stomach tighten.
“Engineered?”
“Small failures. Nothing dramatic. A rail signal here. A power relay there. A transportation delay.”
“Why?”
“To test how systems responded.”
Marcus stared at him.
“You were experimenting.”
“We were learning.”
“You were putting people's lives at risk.”
“Collateral risk.”
Marcus shook his head.
“You're insane.”
Voss smiled.
“I don't need you to agree with me.”
He placed a small envelope on the table.
Marcus looked at it.
“What's that?”
“Something your father left behind.”
Marcus didn't move.
“Open it.”
Marcus slowly picked up the envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
His father stood beside a younger Helen Crawford.
Behind them was a building Marcus recognized.
His first laboratory.
He turned the photograph over.
There was handwriting on the back.
IF MARCUS EVER FINDS THIS, TELL HIM THE TRUTH.
Marcus looked at Helen.
She lowered her eyes.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“For how long?”
“Twenty years.”
Marcus felt betrayed.
“You should have told me.”
“I tried.”
“When?”
“Many times.”
“You never did.”
“Because every time I came close, someone disappeared.”
Marcus looked at her.
“Who?”
“People who knew.”
Voss interrupted.
“You see?”
He spread his hands.
“This is why secrets survive.”
Marcus turned toward him.
“You killed them.”
Voss smiled.
“I didn't personally kill anyone.”
“But you ordered it.”
“I gave instructions.”
Marcus stared at him.
“That makes no difference.”
Voss's expression became colder.
“You still believe morality matters.”
“It does.”
“Then you're weaker than I thought.”
Marcus smiled.
“No.”
He stepped closer.
“I'm stronger because I know where the line is.”
Voss shook his head.
“You have no idea what is coming.”
Marcus reached into his pocket.
Voss immediately raised his hand.
“Don't.”
Marcus stopped.
“I wasn't reaching for a weapon.”
“What were you reaching for?”
“My phone.”
Voss laughed.
“You won't be able to call anyone.”
Marcus smiled.
“I already did.”
Voss's expression changed.
Richard looked at him.
“What?”
Marcus pointed toward the ceiling.
“Every conversation in this building has been transmitted.”
Voss stared.
“How?”
Marcus looked at Sarah.
She raised a small device.
“The system was recording from the moment you entered.”
Voss's face hardened.
“You wouldn't.”
Marcus smiled.
“I would.”
Voss looked at the exits.
“Destroy it.”
His men moved.
Richard stepped between them.
“No.”
One of the men raised his weapon.
Richard knocked it aside.
The room erupted.
Helen ran toward the door.
Sarah grabbed the evidence drive.
Marcus moved behind the table.
A struggle broke out.
Richard fought one guard.
Helen pushed another into the wall.
Sarah escaped into the corridor.
Marcus confronted Voss.
For the first time, Voss looked afraid.
Marcus grabbed his arm.
“You wanted control.”
Voss struggled.
“You can't stop this.”
Marcus held him.
“No.”
He looked toward the corridor.
“But I can expose it.”
Police sirens sounded outside.
Voss stared at Marcus.
“You called the police.”
“No.”
Marcus smiled.
“I called everyone.”
News helicopters appeared over the building.
Government investigators.
Federal agents.
Journalists.
Reed Systems' security team.
The entire operation had been transmitted to multiple locations.